Injuring Defences
by mydoctortennant
Summary: Part of the Untitled One-Shot Series; When Gwen's innocence endangered it creates a change for everybody.


**I've had a few reviews saying they want this to continue, can I point out now like I said in the summary that this is in the Untitled Series Of One-shots, in which there is currently 4 stories! The links and names of the fics can be found in my profile! I'm writing them out of order, but I will keep the list updated and always put the tag PART OF THE UNTITLED SERIES OF ONE SHOTS! This is all.  
**

The second year William of Daira won the Joust Uther insisted that they held a feast in honour of the winner. All those who participated – and survived – had gathered in the Great Hall for the occasion. The servants all stood dotted about the hall, great jugs in their hands full of wine and ale, constantly filling up any Nobles' goblets.

"I don't know - or really want to - what you did to him, but I do not have to wear those garish robes, so thank you," Merlin commented as he stood next to Gwen after refilling his jug from the stores in the kitchen.

"Anytime, Merlin," Gwen smiled as she refilled another goblet of a Knight who then danced off with a noble woman. She spotted William across the hall, he grinned at her and she nodded at him, curtsying.

"If he doesn't stop staring somebody is going to notice," Merlin grinned before he was called over by Leon to refill his - and his lady's - goblet. Gwen looked over to the Crowned Prince as her friend moved away from her. He was not so subtly looking over the top of his wine-filled goblet over at her. He raised his goblet and toasted her; she smiled and raised the jug to him.

"Gwen, is it not?" Gwen turned to see Sir Degore approaching her, holding out his goblet for her. She jovially filled it up expecting him to move on, "You certainly are a beauty."

"I think you have had one too many, my lord."

"I need not drink to think you beautiful, Gwen. I'm surprised a girl like you is still unmarried. Perhaps you are more suited to being ones mistress," he pushed forwards, pushing the jug from her front and forcing it sideways.

"My lord," Gwen tried to take a step back, but was stopped by the stone pillar she had stationed herself by.

"Pretending you're above it?" He took the jug and placed it on the table, pulling her around the pillar for they were out of sight from prying eyes.

Though one pair of watchful eyes had seen it all; he seldom looked at anything else. Watching all the events unfold he had stopped drinking from his goblet, holding onto it with white knuckles; why wasn't she pushing him away? Walking away from him? Arthur hadn't seen that he was being watched too. By no one of great importance that was for sure, Merlin had been looking between the pair of them, having seen Arthur's anger and wondering what the hell had happened to make his hand shake in anger as he tried to hide it.

Gwen tried to slip away from Sir Degore but his grip was firm on her wrist.

"My lord, please, I think you have had far too much to drink."

"What does he do to you, hmm?" He pushed her harder against the pillar, "What does the Prince do to you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she struggled to free herself from his grasped. Surely they had drawn the attention from the other people in the room, but most the nobles were past drunk an hour ago, and were all too busy within their own lives to pay attention to the maid.

"Does he please you?" Sir Degore pushed, "Does he touch you?" he ran his hand over her thigh, crumpling the material of her dress underneath, moving his hand ready to push her further.

"Get off me," she bit, pushing his hand away before he could touch her further.

Degore winced, suddenly stricken, "Leave her alone," the Prince hissed in his ear, his hand clenched around the back of Degore's neck and pulling him away from her. He threw him back away from the pillar and towards the crowd of the hall. Now everybody was watching them.

"She was asking for it," Degore barked at him, scowling at the Prince. Arthur had never liked him, now: even less.

"I highly doubt Guinevere was asking for it. She was doing her job."

"What would you know?"

"A great deal."

"I knew it. I knew she was a little slut. I knew-"

Degore sprawled on the floor, Arthur's fist coming into contact with his jaw with a sharp blow was enough to send him flying. Off his guard and not expecting the Prince to react as he had; not for a common whore.

Arthur turned his attention from the noble to the serving girl. She was looking on in shock, not expecting such a reaction herself. The look on Gwen's face was mimicked by most of the other nobles in the room. Uther stood stony faced; he'd known of his son's dislike of the Knight, but his display was most unfounded.

"Arthur!" his son ignored him, raising a hand to the girl's cheek and making her look at her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she half smiled before moving away from him, "I'm going to go, uh, refill the jug," she headed towards the servants hallway to the kitchen.

"Guinevere?" he went to follow her but was intercepted by his father.

"Arthur?" The King raised his eyebrows at his son, waiting for an answer, "I realise that Sir Degore can be a handful, but when beating him down necessary?"

"For the current moment, yes," Arthur insisted, looking towards the servants hallway and contemplating going after her. He could already see Merlin making a move towards it. It irked him sometimes that his manservant could be there for her when he could not – it didn't seem right somehow.

"And what would his offence be?"

"Trying to ruin a girl's innocence in the middle of a hall," Arthur turned to his father and squared up to him, he knew his father's kind well, he would only question her virtue, that was the sort of man he was, but Arthur knew. He knew Gwen. He didn't need to question her.

"She's a servant, I expect her innocence was ruined long ago," Arthur's jaw clenched, the overwhelming need to punch his father square in the face was bubbling through him. He balled his fists and his knuckled turned white with the pressure.

Merlin had disappeared after Gwen down the passageway at this, if Arthur lashed out at his father he didn't want to have first hand knowledge of it so he didn't have to lie to Gwen. Even so, Arthur restrained himself and blew off his father's thoughts, leaving the hall after Merlin and Gwen.

"Are you okay?" Merlin inquired, Gwen stopped, turning around to face him, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Before she spoke he took a step towards her and placed his arms around her shoulders, "It's okay," he gently patted her on the back, "It's okay."

A soft clearing of the Prince's throat caused Merlin to back away from the maidservant slowly, waiting for the Prince to interject before he let go of her fully. Safely tucked into Arthur's chest, Merlin took his chance to go back to the hall and make sure the upheaval wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

Arthur had knocked down one of the Knight's like the hand of God because he'd touched a servant. It wasn't going to go down well with the King, especially considering Arthur's exit.

Arthur gently rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, holding Gwen against him, running his fingers through her hair. He quietly reassured her as her tears rolled down her cheeks. He pressed his lips into her hair. Gwen's hand fisted into his shirt, she knew she'd be leaving damp patches.

He didn't need to say anything to her. He knew it. He didn't need to ask her if she was okay because he knew she wasn't. He didn't need to tell her that it would be okay because he knew that she knew that held that tightly in his arms.

Her head was tucked safely under his chin, nose in her hair.

The footsteps echoed down the corridor, alerting Arthur to a presence he knew wasn't Merlin's. The steps weren't fumbled or hurried so it couldn't be the bumbling servant. No. These were powerful steps. Steps taken with meaning and precision.

"What in God's name was that debacle?" He heard his father's voice boom down the corridor. He didn't need to turn around to know his father would be stood with a frown on his face and his hands fisted on his hips, "Arthur."

"Not now, Father."

"Now is a good a time as any. What do you think you're playing at? Hitting Sir Degore over a servant?"

"You have no idea."

"Unless you plan on telling me, I assume it will stay that way. What are you going to tell me? You're in love with her? She's everything? She appears to have given everything to Sir Degore as well."

Telling his father to 'hold his tongue' wouldn't be a good idea. Staring him down was the lesser of the two bad ideas. Arthur silently clicked his tongue on the top of his mouth, glaring at his father and ushering Gwen towards the kitchens to get away from his father.

"This isn't over, Arthur," the King shouted down the corridor.

Arthur didn't turn back.

-

They didn't stop until they reached Arthur's chambers. He let her go and leant against his door, rubbing his hands over his face before looking over at Gwen. She was stood by his table straightening out the bowl and fruit that Merlin had left him earlier in the day.

She sniffed and looked at him sideways over her shoulder. He slowly took the short steps to her side. He gently reached out for her hand that hung loosely at her side. He didn't take it straight away. He tenderly brushed his index finger against the soft skin of the back of her hand. He awaited a reaction from her before he did anything further. He didn't want to push her.

He noted the tugged of a smile on her lips and slipped his fingers through hers in one swift movement. Her gaze shifted from their intertwined digits to his face. His features were drawn and gentle. She allowed herself to fall into him slightly resting her forehead on his shoulder, prompting him to wrap his free arm about her shoulders and pull her close.

He gently placed a kiss to her forehead, thumb rubbing soft circles on the back of her hand.

"Are you okay?" he mumbled into her hair, feeling her nodded against him he rested his cheek against the side of her head. He released her hand and moved it to brush a hair from her face; tucking it behind her ear, cupping her cheek as he finished the movement. She leant into it eyes closed, "I shouldn't have let it happen. I saw him. I could see it coming. I should have gotten there sooner."

"Arthur, you can't blame yourself for this."

"Why not? He hurt you-"

"No, Arthur, he tried. You stopped him," she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry," she turned her head to face into his palm, pressing a gentle kiss to it. She looked back up at him and they both moved. The kiss was lingering, sweet. Much like their first kiss in her small home, "I'm sorry," he murmured, "I shouldn't have."

"Arthur don't," he withdrew from her at her words, stopping by her sudden grip on his forearm, "Don't do this to yourself. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."

They stood in a companionable silence, just looking at each other, studying the other's features and committing them to memory. They both knew that tonight could be the last night they saw each other. Especially if Uther had anything to do with it.

"Stay," Arthur said, unsure whether it was a command or a request Gwen dry swallowed. She slowly shook her head, "Please. I have proposals to go over before the morning and I'd rather do them with company than alone."

"I'd rather like to sleep, Arthur, I'd stay but-"

"You don't have to leave. I'll be up all night anyway; stay here?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Arthur," Gwen reasoned, not with Uther on the prowl.

"Do not take this the wrong way, Guinevere, but after tonight I'd rather you weren't alone," he said rather sheepishly, looking at the floor. Only her gentle touch on his face was enough to make him look at her.

"How could I take that the wrong way?" a soft smile on her face was reflected on Arthur's as he then returned the small kiss to the palm of her hand.

"Sleep, if you can. I'd better do these, or else Father will have a bigger problem."

-

It was all wrong.

Gwen was used a thin sheet, two in the winter time, only enough to keep her moderately warm. She was used to a single filled sack that acted as a pillow. Now she had more pillows that she could care to count. She couldn't settle.

It was much too grand. If was she was used to it then maybe she'd be able to sleep. But as it stood all she was doing was staring absently at the canopy above her and feeling too hot beneath the layers.

She sighed and kicked off the covers.

Arthur looked up having seen the movement out of the corner of his eye; "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's hot," Arthur rose from his seat and ventured over to the window, unlatching it and setting it wide open, "Thank you."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Honestly."

"Something's wrong and it's not Sir Degore, is it?" He looked around the room, at the crumpled and discarded bed linens, at Gwen sheepishly sitting up in his bed in her day dress. He should have offered her something to wear, "What is it?"

"It's nothing."

"Guine_vere_, tell me."

She sat for a moment and looked at him, before turning away, slightly embarrassed by the prospect of telling him that these things were too grand for her; far above her station.

"It's just, Arthur, this is lovely, and don't think I am not grateful, because I am. This world Arthur, this isn't me. I rest my head on a sack stuffed with linens. My bed is hard. My windows have no glass and my stove heats my home. I am not who you want me to be, Arthur."

"I do not want you to be anybody else other than yourself."

"You may love to dream, Arthur, but you can't dream to love me."

"I dream of nothing else. This is not your world, I know. But your world nearly hurt you today, and I can't have that, Guinevere. I'd rather lose it all then see you hurt."

"I am thankful for your actions, Arthur, but you have risked too much."

"It is not a risk if it was a risk worth taking. I did what I wanted. If anybody has a problem with that I do not care. I love you, Guinevere, nobody can stop that," Arthur stopped. Gwen stopped. They were silent; Gwen's gazed fell from Arthur's to the stone floor. Her cheeks tinged red and Arthur's mouth gawped at his own words. He'd never said it before, and it had felt to right, so natural, "I don't want to push you away, I don't want to push you into anything you are uncomfortable with. Just so you know; I do."

"What?"

"I do love you," He took the last couple of steps towards her and sat down on the bed next to her outstretched legs.

It was a perfect moment. One of those moments you get once in your life.

It was always the moment that got ruined.

"Arthur?" Leon called through the door, knocked on its light wood but not moving to open it.

"Enter," Arthur called out, not moving from the side of his bed, but taking his attention away from Gwen.

"I am sorry to interrupt, my lord, but your father wishes to see you."

"Apologies, Leon, but could you pass the message to my father that if he wishes to see me he shall have to seek me out himself," Leon nodded, not one to actively show annoyance at a member of the Royal Family and exited swiftly.

"Arthur-"

"No. If he wants to talk to me he can very well find me himself. He knows where I am."

-

Uther Pendragon was a stubborn man. It was exactly where Arthur had inherited the trait from, there was no arguing that. So when Leon came to report that Arthur insisted that the King go o him, well it hadn't really surprised him.

He suspected that the boy was with_ her_.

No. He would not abide by his son's rules. He was the King, he gave the orders. Tomorrow morning Uther would send Leon again and then Arthur would have to come, or Uther would have a serous issue on his hands.

He had already sent the nobles home after the charade but now it was just getting embarrassing.

-

The sun flooded through the windows of Arthur's bedchamber. He shifted where he slept, slowly waking. He'd fallen asleep on his papers. When Gwen had finally fallen asleep he had spent an hour or so just watching her. The gentle rise and fall or her chest. Her occasional deep breathes that turned into sighs as she turned.

Arthur looked over to the bed to find it made and Gwen gone. A shadow of disappointment crossed over his face, but it soon passed. He knew she had to go early; she had work with Gaius this morning. She'd only been at the feast last night to lend a helping hand, and considering how the night had ended, Arthur wished she didn't have a natural unable-to-say-no-to-helping personality.

Reminiscing and what-ifs wouldn't do anything now.

Especially with the charge of guards and knights that just entered his chambers. They said nothing before hoisting him from his chair and taking him towards the corridor. He was greeted by the snide face of Sir Degore. Arthur didn't even manage to smirk at the bruising along his cheekbone.

"Your Father wishes to see you, and unlike your friend, I'm not about to take no for an answer," the Guards carried on, forcing Arthur towards the throne room.

The door guards opened the doors and Arthur was forced into the room. Once inside he jerked his arms away from their grasp and stood before his father. The king didn't look impressed.

"I would like an explanation."

"An explanation of what?" Arthur snapped back. Uther sat in his throne, staring angrily at the Prince before him.

"Of your behaviour last night. The reason the girl was seen leaving your chambers early this morning," It didn't surprise Arthur that his father had posted somebody by his room, his privacy had become a foreign concept of late. Be it Merlin walking in without knocking, or everybody making his life their business.

"Perhaps you should ask Degore about my behaviour last night. He can't be that clueless about it."

"I did, and I must say when he told me was most shocking," Arthur said nothing, just waited for his father to continue, "He tells me the girl is known among the Knights for tending to your injuries."

"She is the Physician's Assistant. You may find, Father, that that is her job," Arthur answered smugly, though he would never admit that he would more than happily let himself bleed a little more if it meant Gwen treated him over Gaius.

"And tending to your every need? That is in her job description too?" Uther sneered. Arthur clenched his jaw, just what was it that Degore had been telling him? He had made it perfectly clear exactly what he thought of Gwen the night before, but this was ridiculous. She'd done nothing of the sort.

"Whatever you have heard, Father, I can assure you that the truth has very much been warped. If anybody has acted out of line it would be your dear Sir Degore. Or would you like to ignore the fact that he tried to take the innocence of one of our servants."

"I can assure you, Arthur, a girl her position is far from innocent," had Arthur had his sword attached to his belt, but having been lifting from his quarters without a chance he couldn't even clench his fist around the hilt.

"Say what you will, Guinevere has the noblest heart in all of this Kingdom. You are wrong in your perceptions of her. She doesn't deserve your speculation," Arthur spat, the venom in his voice clearly audible.

"And what does she deserve, Arthur? An embrace? A kiss? What do you think you can give her, Arthur? You cannot give her anything."

"You won't be king forever. And when you're dead you won't be able to stop me," Arthur shouted, no patience left in him for the man before him. His pre-perceptions needed correcting, there was no need for his bad attitude toward their household staff.

"Stop you from what? Marrying her? She's a commoner, you will lose all respect," Arthur scoffed again. Respect was something his father had lost a long time ago. Arthur knew that Gwen would be a wonderful Queen. She connected with the people, and she knew what it was like to live like them.

"No matter how much respect I will lose over who I choose for a wife, at least I will still have more respect than you!" Arthur thought of mentioning the Troll of a wife that Uther had married.

Flying off the handle at his son had not been what Uther had planned, "You will hold your tongue."

"No. I will not. To gain respect from other people you have to respect them first. The people of the lower town know you hold them with a lesser regard than anybody else, and with it you lose their trust. You ransack their homes and never give anything back to them. You don't trust them and expect them to trust you in return. You have to earn their respect, and all you have earned is their fear and mistrust! There is one thing I have learned from you it is to treat other people, no matter who they are, how I'd want them to treat me," he paused for a second, considering his statement, "Actually no, I didn't learn that from you. I learnt that from Guinevere. And saw it in you.

"I'd be twice the king you are just from that alone," Uther stood, standing taller than his son on the stage the throne was stationed on.

"If you ever make it to being King at all. Your behaviour is abysmal to say the least. You say you will have respect. You will have the respect of the common people but not from your fellow nobles. You will be attacked. People will think you weak-"

"Far from weak. They attack Camelot because they know the current King is weak in mind and in skill. When was the last time you fought for your Kingdom? It's always me. I'm the defence. I'm the Prince and people see me acting out your wishes because you are too bone idle to do so."

"Enough. You have a long way to go, my boy. There is little you understand about being a King."

"I understand what it is to be happy. Happiness goes a long way. Don't tell me that if your father had told you, you weren't allowed to marry my mother; would it have stopped you? Could you abide by somebody telling you how to feel? If my mother made you truly happy you would have ignored his wishes for your own!"

"Do not bring your mother into this."

"Why not? She's dead and you're still alone. You know what that tells me? That you loved her, that you would have done anything for her. That you would have married her anyway. Nobody tried to stop you because of that. Why can't the same apply to me? You married a troll!"

"That was magic," Arthur grunted; he couldn't believe his father couldn't see how his mistakes could have harmed the future of the kingdom. He'd given the crown to a troll! A troll who wanted money and power, two things Arthur knew Gwen had very little interest in.

"And an enchanted marriage is better than a marriage out of love to a person who will do this kingdom more good than you ever would. Your incessant fear is irrational. You didn't listen to anybody other than yourself. No wonder Morgana was so unhappy. Everybody in this family is. Even if we ever found her, she'd never come back. I lost a sister because of you."

"Magic took her from us."

"She would have gone anyway! You're meant to look after her – protect her - and all you did was treat her like a child. I don't know why Gorlois ever entrusted you with the responsibility! Either of us! Guinevere is basically the person who looked after her for all those years."

"You're treading a fine line, boy."

"The fine line of what? You have passed so many fine lines that it is a surprise that nobody has successfully killed you already! My mother should never have been the one to die. It should have been you. I wish it was!"

Silence.

A dark look passed over Uther's face. A dangerous flash in his eyes. Arthur dry swallowed, standing tall. Backing down now would do no good to anybody. Apart from possibly Uther.

"Get out," Uther's voice was dangerously low, Arthur saw his jaw clench but he didn't move, "get out, and don't even think about coming back."

Arthur couldn't help but smirk, had he been in a better mood he may have fought back, but leaving was all he could think of that would allow him to be happy, "My _lord_," he uttered, sarcastically bowing before turning on his heel and walking away with his head held high passed the guards.

-

Shirts. Trousers. Anything and everything that he would possibly need.

"Arthur?" Merlin came barging in through his chamber door, breathless, "I just heard. Where are you going to go?"

"Away," Arthur grabbed one of the smaller draws and emptied the content into his bag. He pulled over another draw and only grabbed one small box from it, and placed it more carefully in the

"Away where?"

"Away from here."

"Where are you going to go? It's not like you know any people outside of the castle."

"I know someone," Arthur said, shoving his belongings into a bag, leaving draws and doors open so he could make sure he had everything he needed.

"You know one person outside of this Castle; do you honestly want to put her head in the firing line?" Merlin asked, looking around the room, Arthur had completely ransacked the place of anything he would possibly need.

"What other choice have I got?"

Merlin had no answer for that, "Have you asked her?"

"Not exactly."

"Arthur!"

"In-between my Father banishing me and me packing my things, I've hardly had a chance to see her let alone speak to her."

"So what, you're just going to turn up?"

"Merlin?"

"Yes Arthur?"

"Shut up."

-

The incessant knocking on Gwen's front door fell to silence. He peeped through the small window and found the house empty, of course it would be. She was working with Gaius. Arthur let out an annoyed groan and ended up kicking one of the wooden barrels outside her house. The townsfolk gave him for strange looks.

Why was the Prince at Little Gwen's house? Especially with a big bag full of belongings over his shoulder.

"Arthur?" He turned to see Gwen jogging down the street towards him, "Merlin just told me what happened."

"I'm sorry for pulling you out of work."

"It's okay, Gaius told me to come. Come in," she opened her front door, shutting it behind him, "What are you going to do?" she looked at the bag on his shoulder, it was practically bulging with all the stuff screwed up in it.

"I was hoping I could stay here-"

"Arthur-"

"I would pay my way. I will stay out of your hair; I'll live in the forge if I have to. I've got nowhere else to go."

After a brief silence Gwen nodded, "With you and Merlin in and out of here at all hours, I barely have a reputation to stand on these days," Gwen mused, a small laugh leaving his lips.

"So it's okay? I can stay?" he slipped the bag from his shoulder and placed it on the bench lined up with the table.

"You can stay."

After a few more seconds of Gwen looking around her house, "Where are we going to put all your stuff?" She asked with mirth in her voice, opening the bag and gently pulling out the clothes garment by garment and folding them neatly.

"We'll think of something."

"Oh, and Arthur?"

"Yes, Guinevere?"

"I'm having the bed."

They both laughed, Arthur reached out and placed his hand on the nape of her neck. He leant down and pressed a soft kiss to he forehead, "What can I do to help?"

"Help me fold these?" she nodded towards the bag of belongings.

-

"What is the forge like these days?"

"Full of stuff," Gwen answered placing a plate in front of Arthur and taking a seat opposite him at the table.

"Perhaps I could clear a little space in there, make a bed out of something. Give you some of your reputation back."

"I have the Prince living in my home, the townsfolk will talk anyway," she smiled putting her fork of food into her mouth. She swallowed, "We'll look in the morning," she said. They'd spent most of the day sorting of the back space of her small home, arranging things and sorting out a storage space for Arthur's clothes.

"Thank you for this, Guinevere, and I promise I'll get my own water. I'll pay my own way. Whole new no-longer-a-Prince, Arthur," Gwen smiled at him, "I won't get in the way."

"You always get in the way," She jested, "Not that I mind."

"I would hope not," his tone was soft, the smile on his face genuine and happy. Maybe this would work after all.


End file.
